We all know the importance of fresh veggies in our diets, but shockingly, the data says that 49% of U.S. children go each day without eating a single vegetable.
Getting family members excited about eating their veg can be challenging, especially with younger diners.
It mightn’t be the easiest job task in the world, but there are ways around it. If you are willing to get creative and make it fun, you might even convert the fussiest of eaters!
If it is fun enough, then the increase of vegetables might even go unnoticed.
Vegetables are key to a balanced diet, so let’s take a look at 5 fun ways to incorporate them without a fight, be it through creative disguises or playful family activities!
1. Use Creative Presentation
With presentation tips up your sleeve, you make vegetables much more appealing for adults and kids alike.
Treating Plates As Canvases
One great way to make mealtime more engaging is to arrange the veggies onto plates to form pictures or patterns.
Mixing different colored vegetables works really well, such as red, yellow, and green peppers.
Keep the ideas simple; think smiley faces, flowers, and animals. If their meal looks exciting, they might be more tempted to eat it.
Hands-on Ideas
Try using a variety of dips and cutting a selection of different veggies to dip – children love getting hands-on with their food. Yogurt or cream-based dips and hummus are great choices.
If age-appropriate, you can cube veggies and let them make their own colorful veggie kebabs.
2. Involve The Family
Numerous studies show that the best way to encourage healthier eating in children is to get them involved in the preparation and cooking. They are far more likely to show interest in something they have contributed to.
Veggie Cooking Games
While preparing and cooking vegetable, you have the perfect opportunity to discuss and expose your kids to them.
Ask them to decide which to have with tonight’s meal; you can get them to taste test the vegetables, or turn it into a game and have them guess the veggie with their eyes closed!
At-Home Salad Bar
Why not try creating a home salad bar and give the family control over what they pop on their plate?
By building their own salads, they are more likely to enjoy them. Remember toppings to sprinkle on top and dressings to squirt can make it all the more fun and make their salad more appealing.
Veggie Themed Nights
One fun way we found surfing online to keep things fresh is to choose a dedicated night of the week, such as Salad-bar Sunday or Meatless Monday. Themed nights can help keep the family focused on experimenting with vegetable dishes and expanding their palates.
3. Veggie-Packed Fast Food Snacks
Kids (and adults) often enjoy snacks more than meals, so this is a great opportunity to get more vegetables into their diet. Veggie-packed snacks can be fun, portable, and delicious.
Healthier Chips and Fries
Switching out your regular potato chips and fries for veggies is a healthier alternative – and you can season it exactly as you wish. Sweet potatoes, zucchini, beetroots, and carrots all make great choices.
Snack-Sized Veggie Pizzas
Roll out some dough and let everybody create their own personal veggie pizzas. Make it a family activity or set aside a pizza night and make them full-size.
Use a variety of veg with different colors such as mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach so they can enjoy placing the toppings.
You can even go one step further with the packing in the veggies by creating a cauliflower dough or stuffing the crust with spinach.
4. Incognito Veggies: Sauces and Smoothies
Sometimes, creative ideas like the ones above simply won’t work and we have to be more underhanded.
With very fussy eaters, sometimes, it’s best to try and sneak them in. That’s where the blender becomes your best friend!
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Rich Healthy Pasta Sauces
Pasta dishes are a firm favorite on most household menus and the accompanying sauces are perfect for stashing a ton of veggies into.
With a blender, you can mix spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini in with the tomato, or broccoli in with cheeses and creams to create sauces everyone will love without raising too much suspicion.
Greener Breakfast Smoothies
Hide some healthy vegetables in your family’s favorite smoothies. In small amounts, spinach, kale, avocado, and cauliflower can be added without detracting from the sweetness of your chosen fruits!
5. Stay Fresh and Fun
It’s important to change it up and make sure the vegetable incorporation doesn’t get boring. New ideas and recipes should be considered regularly to keep interests piqued!
Sourcing Fresh Ideas Online
There are tons of inspiring veggie-filled recipes online and creative ideas shared by other families who have upped their veggie intake.
Remember to stay safe while surfing for meal inspiration, and to make sure your saved recipes stay safe. A VPN can help; follow the link to have the safety benefits of a VPN explained.
Conclusion
With some of the fun ideas we’ve explored, you can incorporate more vegetables into your family meals without anyone having a meltdown.
Make it fun, make it hands-on, and give the children more control. Even the pickiest little ones might surprise you!
Remember the internet is full of great ideas to help you keep it fresh, but surf safely and, if all else fails, there is always the blender!